By PAUL GOTHAM
IRONDEQUOIT, N.Y. — Jake Pangrazio delivered a birthday present his dad won’t soon forget.
The York senior poured in a school-record 46 points, and the Golden Knights (4-0) stayed undefeated with a 75-60 victory over host Bishop Kearney, Friday night in non-league action.
Coming out of the locker room at halftime leading 30-26, Pangarazio scored 17 points in the third quarter to give York a nine-point advantage.
“I knew we had to come out and stay energetic,” Pangrazio said. “We were playing great defense in the first half. We held them to some pretty low numbers. Came back out, and kept it going. All you can ask for.”
The 6-foot-3 guard produced points on eight of York’s 14 possessions in the third including a stretch in which he scored on four straight trips down the floor and six of eight.
“For three years, we’ve been talking about knowing your matchup,” said York head coach Ed Orman, Jr. “Where you can exploit and just attacking that weakness until they figure out how to stop it. Tonight, he did that. It didn’t hurt that every shot he took, he was making.”
Pangrazio hit a pull-up jumper before going to the baseline along the right side of the floor for his next three baskets.
His three-pointer late in the quarter gave York a 47-40 lead.
“He’s got such a soft touch as a lefty on the baseline,” Orman said. “He always does that. Like every kid in America, I think he falls in love with the three ball. It’s hard not to when you shoot it as good as he does.”
Pangrazio’s previous single-game best was a 34-point effort. Friday’s output broke Tom LaDelfa’s single-game mark of 42 set during the 1967-68 season.
“It’s a great feeling,” the St. John Fisher commit said. “I had no idea. Definitely did not know for sure while playing the game, but I kinda figured it out when my dad was like ‘okay, focus on these.’ I was like something’s going on here.”
Jake Pangrazio has 31 including this triple. York leads Kearney 51-42 heading to the fourth. @SecVBBasketball pic.twitter.com/vETH4ISBz4
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) December 9, 2023
Joe Bauer to Jake Pangrazio, York 56-47 4:02 remaining pic.twitter.com/ccrDXcFlRm
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) December 9, 2023
Jake Pangrazio and-one. York 67-56 with 53.1 on the clock. pic.twitter.com/IxTMaR2xnf
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) December 9, 2023
Joe Bauer converted a steal and layup late in third quarter to give York its first double-digit lead of the night at 51-40. Connor Rodwell’s three-pointer early in the fourth pushed the advantage back to double digits at 59-47.
Pangrazio’s traditional 3-point play with 53.1 remaining in the fourth made it a 67-56 game. The Golden Knights did not allow Kearney within single digits after that.
Pangrazio, who grabbed 12 rebounds in the game, hit 8-of-11 from the free throw line over the final 1:08 to seal the win. The final touch on his dad’s birthday present.
“Oh yeah, he’s pretty happy.”
The Section V Class C3 champion in 2022, York lost to Pembroke in the C2 final a year ago. Scheduling Friday’s game against a Class A contender in Kearney was a way for Orman to get his squad’s attention.
“I have four kids who have played probably 75 games for me,” Orman said referring to Bauer, Pangrazio, Rodwell and Tyler Brady. “I need to rattle their cage. I need to get the juices flowing. I thought this would be fun. I saw a scenario where we could lose this game. We watched them against Niagara Falls. I saw a scenario where we could lose by 15 and play pretty good.
“It became pretty obvious after we started slowly and fought back, that we at least belonged in the gym.”
Pangrazio connected 12 times from the floor including four from behind the 3-point arc. He converted 18 of 21 free throws. Bauer added 10 points. Parker Bonafede had eight. Brady and Rodwell both scored six.
Colin Gentile converts off the turnover. pic.twitter.com/OHBGhdvRhv
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) December 9, 2023
Colin Gentile led Kearney (0-2) with 18 points. Jah Reaves had 14. Alejandro Aguilar (9), Jayden Capers (6), Jahan Wilson (6), Maddox Volpe (4) and Russell Ellis (3) also scored for the Kings. Kearney led 9-2 early in the game.
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